Glass-press.



PATENTED APR.

T. J. CONWAY.

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T. J. CONWAY.

VGLASS PRESS.

APPLICATION -FILED MAB. 2a. 1906.

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PATBNTED APR. 9, 1907.

THOMAS J. CONIVAY, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA.

GLASS-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latenteu April 9, 1907.

Application filed March 23, 1906. vSerial No` 307,645.

.To L7/Z wit/)nt it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. CONWAY, of Muncie, county of Lawaence, andState of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inGlass-Presses, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being yhad to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation,partially in section, of a glass-press, illustrating my invention. Fig.2 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the press at rightangles to the plane of Fig, 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same,certain parts being broken away and F ig. 4 is a plan view of the bottomface of the table 6 and collar 8, together with a portion of theactuating mechanism by which the collar is caused to rotate.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for pressing glass,which, although it may be used in connection with the manufacture ofdifferent articles of glassware, I have shown as applied to themanufacture of insulators and like articles having an interiorscrew-thread; and it consists in automatic devices by means of which thebody of the glass article is pressed, the interior screw-thread isformed, and the screw-threadforming plunger is withdrawn, as ishereinafter more fully described.

I will now describe vmy invention, so that others skilled in the art maymanufacture and use the same.

In the drawings, 2 represents a frame on which is mounted a table 3,this table being supported by ball-bearings L1 These ballbearings arefitted in a race formed in a raised ring 5, which is secured to or formspart of the upper face of a stationary table 6, which is fixed. to theframe 2. Extending downwardly from the rotatory table 3 is an annularring 7, to the lower portion of which by means of the bolts 8 is securedan. annular collar 8. This collar 8 is provided with a double series ofnotches 9 and 10, arranged alternately, the notches t) being providedwith an inclined side wall to permit the release of an actuatingspring-dog 11 by the cam action of the inclined face of the notch, whilethe notches 10 are provided with square side Walls slightly inclined toreceive a springpressed bolt 12, which serves to intermittently hold therotatory table 3 in a stationary position. The actuating-dog 11, whichserves to rotate the rotatory table 3, is slidably mounted on the arm13, the dog 11 fit-r ting in the slide and having a depending lug 1,4-,which engages with a spiral spring 15, which is supported between thedepending .lug 14 and a depending shoulder 16, formed on the end of thearm 13. The arm 13 eX- tcnds from a collar 17, inch-loosely surroundsthe vertical central post 1S and te which an oscillatingl movement isimparted by means of a suitable arm 1S) and link 20, the link 20 beingpivoted by a universal `ioint to the arm 1) and. also by a universal.joint to the lever 21. This lever 21 is pivoted at 22 to the base of theframe 2, and it is provided with'a roller 23, which extends horizontallyfrom the lever and engages in a cam-groove 2-l in the disk Thelocking-bolt 12 is secured to a pin 2G, which is slidably mounted in thedepending lug 27, a spring 2S surrounding the pin 26 and extendingbetween the lug 27 and the body of the locking-bolt 12, the purpose ofthe spring being to keep the locking-bolt normally in engagement withthe recess 10. This locking-bolt 12 is actuated by'a lever 29, which is(amnected with the locking-bolt 12 by a pin-and-slot comiection 30. 'lhclever 29 is given a rocking movement by a pin 31, which is `tixed to therear face of the disk 25 and which as the disk rotates strikes the lever29 and rocks it momentarily suiliciently to carry the locking-bolt 12out of the recess 10, thus unlocking the table and permitting it to begiven a partial rotatory movement through the spring-dog 11, as alreadydescribed. As the table moves the recess 10 is carried away from thelocking-bolt 12, which bears against the periphery of the collar 8 untilanother of the recesses 1() registers with the bolt 12, and thc spring2S forces the bolt into the recess, again locking the table. The bolt 12and dog 11 do not engage with the recesses beionging to the other, forthe,

reason that the recesses are of such shape as to engage only with thecorrespondingbolt or dog. rlhe disk 5 is keyed to the shaft 32, andpower is applied to this shaft by means of a gear-wheel 33, meshing withthe pinion 34. of an electric or other suitable motor. These parts,which I have just described, serve to impart an intermittent rotarymovement to the table 3, and although they are Well adapted to thepurpose of my invention I do not desire to limit myself thereto.

The table B serves to carry a series of molds S5, arranged at stationsequally distant from IOO IIO

the center of the table and preferably at equal distance from eachother. The lirst of these stations a is at the place where the moltenglass is placed within the mold, which may be done by means of anysuitable mechanical gatherer or by hand in any usual manner oftransporting the glass. The second station l) is where the glass ispressed within the mold. For this purpose I employ a twopart plungerhaving an outer portion 36 and an inner portion 37 which has areciprocatory movement as well as a rotatory movement within the part36.

ln the drawings l have shown the mold and plunger of a shape adapted tothe manufacture of insulators for use in connection with electriccircuits. These insulators are of the ordinary form, having the groove33 on the outer surface, around which the electric wire is to bewrapped, and having an interior thread 39, by means of which theinsulator is to be screwed on its support. The mold is thereforenecessarily a two-part mold. The part 36 of the plunger is of such shapeas to form the mouth of the interior cavity of the insulator', and thepart 37 of the plunger is adapted to form the interior thread 39, thelower portion of the interior plunger 37 being provided with ascrew-thread 40, adapted to form the screw-thread 39 in the glass. Thelower end of the part 36 of the plunger fits against a shoulder 4lformed on the part 37 thus making an unbroken ioint on the outer surfaceof the two parts. The mold 35 is provided with the usual ring 42 andsprings 43, which are situate between the two crossheads orspring-plates 44 and 45. The lower face of the ring may be providedeither with a plain groove to form a smooth base to the insulator, orthis groove may be indented to form the ornamental teeth 46 on the faceof the insulator.

The devices which operate the plunger consist of a lever 47, which ispivoted at one end to the central post 13 inany suitable manner and atthe other end to a vertical link 48, the lower end of which is fixed tothe yoke 49, in which is a slidable block 50 and a spiral spring 51, thespring being situate between the block 50 and the bottom of the yoke 49.The outer end of the cam-lever 52 is pivoted to the block 50, the innerend being pivoted to the central post 18. On the inner face of thecam-lever 52 is a camroller 53, which extends within the heartshapedcam-groove 54 in the rotatory disk 55, which is mounted on thehorizontal shaft 56. Keyed to the shaft 56 is a gear-wheel 57, whichmeshes with the pinion 34 of the motor. Pivoted to the levers 47, therebeing a pair of these levers, are the links 53,v the other ends of whichlinks are pivoted to the cross-head 59. Extending from the crosshead 59through the guide-sleeve 61 is the guide-rod 60, to the lower end ofwhich is fixed a plate 62. Extending downwardly from the plate 62 arethe posts 63, adapted to come in contact with the spring-plate 45, towhich the plunger 36 is secured. The upper stem of the plunger 37extends slidably through the bore of the plunger 36 and beyond thespring-plate 45 between the posts 63. To the upper end of the plunger 37is secured the pinion 64, which engages with the segmental rack 77,which is situate between the stations b and c of the table 3. The posts63, which come in Contact with the spring-plate 45 and operate theplungers of the mold in the manner described, together with themechanism which support and actuate these posts, are independent of andseparable from the mold-plungers and springplates, these parts beingstationary in relation to the frame of the apparatus while the mold,with its plungers andspring-plates,rotates with the table. The plungersand spring plates are slidably and pivotally mounted on the posts 65,which extend vertically and upwardly from the rotary table 3. At thestation b by means of the heartshaped cam-groove 54 posts 63 aredepressed to force the two plungers 36 and 37 to the limit of theirdownward movement into the glass in the cavity of the mold. Vhen theposts 63 are retracted through tho further movement of the cam-groove54, the plunger 37 is left in its lowered position while the plunger 36rises under the force of the springs 43, which were contracted by thedownward movement of the spring-plate. At the same time the spring-plateand the plungers are released from any engagements with the posts 63,and the mold, the plungers, and the spring-plates are free to move withthe table from the station l) to the station c. Then the posts 63 havebeen raised to the limit of their upward movement, the camgroove 24,acting through the spring-dog 1l, gives apartial rotation to therotatory table 3 and carries the mold 35 from the station b to thestation c. At the same time the pinion 64, traveling in the segmentalrack 77, gives a .rotary movement to the plunger 37, which movement isvery slow at its beginning, which enables the thread 40 on the end ofthe plunger 37 to gradually release itself from the glass in the cavityof the mold. This graduallyaccelerating motion imparted to the rotatorytable 3, and consequently to the plunger 37, is due to the peculiarshape or curvature of the cam groove 24. This groove is of such shapethat it not only gives a gradually-accelerating rotation to the plunger37, but it also gives a graduallyretarding movement to the rotation ofthe table 3 as the notch 10 nears the locking-bolt 12. The rotation ofthe plunger 3.7 in this stiffening glass in the mold carries the plunger37 upwardly in the cavity of the plunger 36, and when the mold hasreached the sta- IOO ISO

, in its passage from station c to station (l, the

APivoted to this collar is a forkedlever 71,

lthe springs 43 at station i) without imparting lpasses through and issecured to the sleeve 69. The lower portion of the slot 75 1s straightand serves to secure the plungersk tion c the screw-thread 40. of theplunger will have been sufficiently released from the thread 39 oi theglass to permit the plunger to be withdrawn without injury to the edgesand spring-plates directly over the mold durof the glass. ing thepressing and releasing` operations.

Opposite the station c, secured to the post The upper portion oi theslot is curved or 18, is a cam-shelf 67, which engages with a cam-shapedand serves to turn the sleeve 69 on the post 65, when the sleeve 69 islifted to its top position, which lifting is accomplished by the secondcam 67h of the cam-shelf 67, the cam-.shelf 67 having four portions-theErst cam 67, a level portion 67, a second cam perticn 67, and declineportion 67 C, wviich lowers the roller 68, swinging 'the plate 44 overthe mold and gently lowering lit to its position on the mold at stationb ready 'for the pressing operation.

plate being 'fixed to the slidable sleeve 69 on the post 65. When themold 35, the springplates, and plungers come to the station c, theroller 68 commences to ride up on the cam-shelf 67, causing the sleeve69 te slide upwardly on the post 65 and to carry the spring-plates 44and 45, together with the plungers 36 and 37 away from and out of thecavity of the mold 35, which position they will have attained when theparts arrive at station (l.

After Athe mold and its parts have reached the station d the mold isopened either by suitable automatic means or by hand and the glassinsulator is drawn therefrom. As the spring-plates 44 and 45 are liftedin their passage from station c to station d it is also necessary tolitt the plunger' 87 which is not lifted directly b y the platesthemselves. To accomplish this, a collar 7() tits loosely on the stem ofthe plunger 37 below the pinion 64.

l l roller 68 of the spring-plate 44, this spring- 'I art that changesmay be made in the mechanisms which I have describedwithout departingfrom my invention, and, as I have already stated, that these mechanismsmay be adapted to the manufacture of other articles than glassinsulators.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus lor pressing glass, the combination oi' a rotatorytable, a mold mounted thereon, devices for imparting an intermittentrotary movement to the table, a two-part plunger, automatic devices forpositively depressing tne plunger and for raising the u perpartthereo'l, and automatic devices VFor rotating the lower part of theplunger to release the same from the glass, the said two parts ol theplunger in all of said movements being connected together, substantiallyas described.

2. In apparatus for pressing glass, the combination of a table, devicesfor imparting an intermittent rotatory movement to the table, a moldmounted on the table, a two-part plunger, devices for imparting apositive downward movement to the plunger, devices for raising one partof the plunger, and devices for subsequently and automatically releasingthe other part of the plunger from the glass by a rotary movement of theplunger the said two parts ofthe plunger in all of said movements beingconnected together; substanti ally as described.

3. In apparatus `for pressing glass, the combination of a mold, atwo-part plunger one of the parts of which is threaded, devices fordepressing the plunger, devices for releasing one part oi the plunger byan upward movement, and devices for releasing the other part of theplunger by a `graduallyaccelerating rotation; substantially asdescribed.

4. In apparatus for pressing glass, the combination of a table,mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotatory movement to the table,a series of molds mounted on the which is pivoted to a bracket 72,extending from the spring-plate 45. The free end of the lever 71 extendsbeyond the bracket 72 and is adapted to contact with a collar 73, fixedto the post 18 in such a position that the end of the lever 71 willengage with the collar during the upward movement of the plate 45 effectof which is to elevate the yoke end of the lever through the elevationvoi' the pivotal point of the lever, and thus withdraw the plunger 37from the cavity of the mold, bringing the parts to the position shown atthe right-hand part of Fig. 1 of the drawings. Owing to theconstruct-ion of these parts the plate 45 is free to rise under thepressure of an upward movement tothe collar 70 and the plunger 37, sothat no strain is exerted on the thread 39 by the movement of thisplate.

During the passage of the empty mold from station (l to station f acurrent of cold air may be applied to the mold and plunger for thepurpose of cooling the same. I find, however, that it is mostpracticable to apply this current of airL by means oi'- jets 74,arranged at stations e and f and adapted to play upon the molds andplungers while they are stationary at these points. Then the moldreaches the station f, it is necessary to swing the spring-plates andplungers to one side to leave the mouth of the mold open and free forthe introduction of the molten glass. To accomplish this, in the post 65is a camslot 75, wit-hin which projects a pin 76, which It will beapparent to those skilled in the IOO IOS

table, a two-part plunger, mechanism for imparting a positive downwardmovement to the plunger, a single motor for operating said table andplunger, devices for raising one part of the plunger, and devices forsubsequently and automatically releasing the other part of the plungerfrom the glass by a rotary movement the said two parts of the plunger inall of said movements being connected together; substantially asdescribed.

5. In apparatus for pressing glass, the combination of a rotatory table,a series of molds mounted thereon, devices for imparti ing anintermittent rotatory movement to the table, a plunger normally aboveand in line with said molds when brought thereover, and automaticdevices for swinging said plunger to one side of said molds when thesame are brought to the charging position; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS J. CONWVAY. lVitnesses:

HARRY MoDoNALD, J. FRANK MANN.

